Industrial Hemp as a possible replacement for NBSK pulp, TAPPICon25

Industrial hemp cultivation has seen significant growth following the 2018 Farm Bill and the increasing demand for CBD products. As hemp availability expands, its fiber is poised to become a preferred material due to its versatility, environmental benefits, and ability to grow in various climates while enriching the soil with nitrogen.

Despite these advantages, a major challenge for the industrial hemp CBD industry is the large volume of residual plant material left behind. While novel applications for these fibers, such as animal bedding and textiles, have emerged, the widespread cultivation of industrial hemp remains hindered by the issue of leftover fiber. Converting these fibers into pulp presents a promising solution.

In this study, we partnered with farming groups in the US and India to explore the potential of hemp fibers for pulp production. Our findings indicate that hemp fibers can serve as a viable alternative to softwood fibers, with the ability to achieve an ISO brightness of 89 or higher after bleaching. Furthermore, hemp fibers exhibit lengths twice as long as traditional wood fibers, suggesting that even small amounts of hemp pulp could significantly enhance the strength of end products like paper, packaging, and molded materials. Based on these results, we have developed a pulping process that can be scaled for commercial production, offering a sustainable solution to the challenges of large-scale industrial hemp cultivation.

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